Football
ISL: A look at the weekend transfer updates — 19 June 2022
As we head into the fourth week of June, we a look at the latest transfer updates from the Indian Super League market.
Spanish midfielder Iker Guarrotxena joins FC Goa (Source: UD Logrones)
FC Goa swept off the transfer headlines after much anticipation, as the Gaurs are said to have acquired the services of Spanish midfielder Iker Guarrotxena. The Spaniard is primarily a left-winger but can also play centre-forward and right-wing. Guarrotxena has a reputation for playing 127 games in Spain's second division. He has also played five times in the prestigious Copa del Rey.
In his career, the 29-year-old has appeared in 309 games. Notably, the winger is also capable of scoring. He has a total of 60 goals and 23 assists to his credit. He spent last season with UD Logrones in Spain's third division. He undoubtedly played an important role in the team, scoring 14 times in 39 attempts and assisting three times for his teammates. He has performed for clubs such as Cultural Leonesa, CD Mirandes, and CD Tenerife, as have other Spaniards who have travelled to India. Guarrotxena also spent his childhood playing for Athletic Bilbao.
FC Goa is also reported to have signed defender Marc Valiente, a former teammate of player turned coach Carlos Pena. Valiente joined Sporting Gijon in 2020 and has made 59 Segunda Division appearances since then. Last month, the 35-year-old announced his departure from Gijon after his contract expired. The defender joined Gijon after two seasons with Partizan, where he made 41 appearances.
Valiente progressed through the Barcelona youth system, playing for the Catalan club's youth teams before joining Sevilla's reserve squad. Since then, he has played in La Liga for Valladolid before joining Maccabi Haifa in Israel, bringing his five-year stint with Albivioletas to an end. He played 117 times with Carlos Pena, the current manager of FC Goa, while at Valladolid. Later, the defender moved to KAS Eupen in the Belgian league before returning to Spanish football.
The Gaurs have also extended the stay of Spanish midfielder and former Captain Edu Bedia for the sixth season till 2023.
While FC Goa was strengthening their squads, the Juggernauts were not far behind. Odisha FC also announced the return of Carlos Delgado, who has reunited with coach Joseph Gambau. In his first season with the Juggernauts, Delgado logged 1389 minutes of serious game time across 16 games. The defender had 635 passes combined with 837 touches and a staggering passing accuracy of 86.45 per cent, averaging 39.69 passes per game.
While the Kolkata football fans stay a little disappointed with no concrete news of signings for the Kolkata giants- ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, the NorthEast United FC apparently are close to announce the arrival of a new boss after Khalid Jamil's departure. However, certain reports in the country state that ATK Mohun Bagan have identified a potential target from the A-League, the identity of whose is yet to be unfolded.
